Sadiq Khan has accused Donald Trump of attacking London because the US President envies Britain’s capital, suggesting America has no city capable of matching it.
The Mayor argued Mr Trump’s repeated criticism stems from professional jealousy rather than legitimate concerns.
“I think some of this may be a President who’s jealous he hasn’t got any global cities in the US that can compete with London,” Sir Sadiq said in a newspaper interview.
The Mayor acknowledged New York’s standing but maintained London’s superiority, describing the American city as “probably the second greatest city in the world.”
He also threw down a challenge over transport infrastructure, saying: “I’d be happy to compare Trump’s favourite city’s subway with our Elizabeth Line.”
The exchange marks the latest chapter in a prolonged dispute between the Labour Mayor and the Republican President, who returned to the White House earlier this month.
Mr Trump recently launched a scathing personal attack on Sir Sadiq, calling him “an incompetent mayor” and “a horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor.”
The President added: “I think he’s done a terrible job. London’s a different place.”
Sadiq Khan accused Donald Trump of having an obsession with London and said he was jealous
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Sir Sadiq responded by questioning whether Mr Trump had developed an unhealthy fixation with the capital.
The American leader has previously alleged that certain areas of London have become no-go zones where police dare not venture.
His vice-president, JD Vance, made similarly inflammatory remarks in 2024, claiming the capital was transforming into “an Islamist country”.
Sir Sadiq mounted a robust defence of the capital’s safety record, insisting it outperforms major American cities on violent crime.
“There are far fewer homicides in London than in any state in the US, far fewer than in New York, LA or Chicago,” he told the Financial Times.
The Mayor has held office since 2016 and used the interview to push back against what he described as a culture war in which London has become a proxy battleground.
Sir Sadiq suggested this hostile rhetoric had contributed to rising racism within the capital.
He maintained that the President’s attacks reveal more about American insecurities than any genuine failings in London’s governance or public safety.
Donald Trump has called Sadiq Khan ‘an incompetent mayor’ in the past
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REUTERSThe Mayor reserved particular criticism for British politicians who disparage the capital, branding such behaviour as fundamentally unpatriotic.
Sir Sadiq expressed greater disappointment with domestic critics than with Trump, whose motivations he claimed to understand.
“I can see that they are worried about London’s success,” he said of MPs who attack the city.
He argued that London’s achievements as a diverse, progressive and multicultural metropolis make it a target for those opposed to such values.
“That’s because we are a diverse, progressive, liberal and multicultural city that’s incredibly successful,” Sir Sadiq explained.
“We’re the antithesis of all the stuff they talk about.”
Sadiq Khan also took a swipe at British politicians who criticise London
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The Mayor suggested the capital’s very success provokes hostility from politicians who find its character threatening to their worldview.
Beyond his clash with Trump, Sir Sadiq also issued a warning to Sir Keir Starmer regarding fiscal policy and its impact on wealthy residents.
The Mayor cautioned against tax measures that risk driving affluent individuals away from the capital.
“The idea that all non-doms are bogeymen is not my experience,” he said, defending those with non-domiciled tax status.